Corinthians up the ante and the offer on Tevez

Brazilian outfit upped their offer to lure Manchester City`s Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez back to Sao Paulo.

Sao Paulo: Brazilian outfit Corinthians on Saturday said they had upped their offer to lure Manchester City`s Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez back to Sao Paulo.

With City holding out for more than the 40 million euros ($63.57 million) the Brazilians have offered, the latter have suggested paying a sum of bonuses to City on top of the transfer, according to a Corinthians official quoted by the Brazilian media. "Now we are looking at four payments of 10 million euros ... plus bonuses which would be paid in prizemoney which we may receive," said Sao Paulo official Edu Gaspar, quoted by a daily. "In theory it is not a cent more - just the transfer of a prize (prize money) for a title such as the Brazilian (league) or the (Copa) Libertadores, which would go to City."In midweek, Tevez`s agent said a move for the striker to join Corinthians "will not be simple". The striker wants to leave as his daughters live in South America with their mother. The Argentina forward, formerly with West Ham, and Manchester United, led City to FA Cup glory and Champions League qualification last season. Tevez, 27, arrived in English football at West Ham from Corinthians in August 2006. Selling Tevez to Corinthians would enable City to offload him to a club with whom they are not in direct competition, either domestically or in Europe, whilst also boosting the player`s family arrangements with his estranged partner living in Buenos Aires. Tevez, who hails from a tough neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, said Friday that he might have ended up "on the wrong die of the tracks" had he not become a footballer. He said on Monday that "there is interest" from Brazil, adding: "I would have no problem to go back to Corinthians," where he won the 2005 league title and became a great crowd favourite. If Tevez does leave City they are expected to bid for compatriot Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid, who is currently keeping him on the Argentine bench. Aguero, Diego Maradona`s son-in-law, has a release clause of 50 million euros at Atletico so financially; the transaction would be as good as neutral for City of the Sao Paulo bonuses offer puts a few more million on the table. Bureau Report